The
difficulty of definition
What
is culture? What is learning cultures? It is hard to define the
concepts of culture and learning cultures. There really isn't one
solid definition. Teräs & co. (2012) state that ”culture” is
not easy to define and that ”Culture is a complex concept, and
learning cultures are affected by many variables” Also according to
Rutherford and Kerr (2008) when it comes to culture ”there are
multiple definitions”.
”Culture
consists of patterns, explicit and implicit, of and for behavior,
acquired and transmitted by symbols constituting the distinctive
achievement of human groups, including their embodiment in artifacts;
the essential core of culture consists of traditional (i.e.,
historically derived and selected) ideas and especially their
attached values; culture sysmtems may, on the one hand, be considered
as products of action, on the other as conditioning elements of
furhter action” (Agar, 2002, p.115).
”Culture
… is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law,
morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits aquired by man
as a member of society.” (Tylor, 1924 [orig.1871]).
Rutherford
and Kerr (2002) state that even though ”there are numerous
definitions, they all refer to four fundamental properties of
culture”: Culture is holistic, shared, transmittable and evolving.
Street (1993) has referred to culture as being a ”verb”, not a
”noun” which clearly sees culture as dynamic - culture is
constantly constructing itself.
”Culture
is communication and communication is culture” (Hall, 1990, p. 186)
”Culture
is something you create, a coherent connection of differences..”
(Agar,
2002, p. 127-128)
Quite
honestly, I find the definition of culture difficult. I do comprehend
the definitions above and crasp the idea of culture. I also share the
understanding of culture as dynamic and constantly evolving. Still, I
have to admit that if someone was to stop my shoes on a street and
ask me what culture is, I don't know if I'd be able to give one
straight answer.
Does
anyone share this difficulty of definition?
Changes
in learning cultures
I already wrote some of my
thoughts and reflections about learning cultures on my previous blog
post Recognizing, defining, developing, comparing cultures –
possible, mandatory, voluntary?
”Learning
happens through social interaction. Learning happens everywhere, all
the time, in all different ways. Learning processes, environments,
participants create learning cultures. Learners gain something when
learning but also bring bits of themselves into the learning process
and the learning culture. Learning (I believe) is an active process.
Learning cultures are formed, they develop, evolve, grow locally,
globally, nationally, internationally, culturally, interculturally,
multiculturally on land through human contact online through
interactive contact. What is a learning culture really? There
definitely is not one. What are learning cultures? Where are they?
On
the 21st century online learning is the topic of the
day and with that come learning cultures. The internet has brought
the world to our finger tips – literally. Everyone has a chance to
travel around the world, participate in multicultural interaction, be
part of different learning cultures without actually leaving ones
home. Does everyone really have that chance to be part of a leaning
culture? Does one have a chance to alternate between different
cultures or be part of different learning cultures simultaneously?”
Learning
cultures in Finland have changed quite a bit over the decades. When
my grandmother and mother went to school learning cultures were very
teacher centered; behaviourist learning concept was present and
learning was more of a subject based passive adoption throug
individual learning process. Rules and discipline were strict and
techers were ”on the podium”, often literally in the classrooms.
Students were to sit quitely and learn by listening. Learning
cultures were formed by teachers and other educational staff,
students were not involved. Collaboration between teacher and
students were nearly non-existent. Teachers had all the answers.
When
I was in comprehensive school much of the behaviourist learning
concept was still present. Though by highschool learning cultures
started to change towards being more student centred with
constructivist learning concept and collaborative learning processes.
Teachers started to ”come down” from their platforms and
interaction between teachers and students became more possible and
accepted. Students were encouraged to take part in lessons and be
active. Students were (and are nowadays) encouraged to learn by
doing. Students started to become more involved in their school
through student counsils and collaboration with teachers in forming
learning environments and learning cultures became possible. Internet
and computers started to bring their own flavor and possibilities to
teaching, learning and learning cultures. Colour i.e. students from
different nationalities and backgrounds in the classrooms were still
rare.
Today
we are living in the multicultural global diverse 21st
century and learning cultures have had to adapt. At least in my
experience they have. I think learning cultures today are often
multicultural, flexible and diverse. There are different kinds of
combined studies and special educational paths to choose from. Today
learning cultures offer more possibilities and opportunties and take
individual needs more into consideration. Constructivist learning
concept, student involvement, active learning, learning by doing,
online learning, collaboration, teamwork, individual consideration,
interculturalism, multiculturalism, social interaction, innovation,
reflection, assessment are part of today's learning cultures.
When
talking about learning cultures one aspect I want to talk about (due
to my past and current work experince) is the equal learning
opportunity. In the past all students in the same class had the same
curriculum. If you couldn't read or had other disabilities or
learning problems or lack of language skills you would just ”fell
of the ladder”. Today equal learning opportunity is stressed and
offered. There are different kinds of support tools that are used to
keep students on the ladder and help even the troubled ones up the
learning ladder. I mean this is how it supposed be at least. In my
opinion. What do you think?
Education
online
The
first time I touched a computer was in the early 90's in the IT lab
in junior high school. The first time I surfed in the Internet was a
couple of years later in high school. In the late 90's at the
university I still searched information from books, but also started
to get familiar with the amazing world of the Internet search. In the
early 21st
century in Polytechnic Internet search was in full bloom and
Polytechnic already offered course information online, no actual
online courses yet, though I was able to carry out a course online
(email correspondence) from across the ocean before graduation in
2003. I attended a course at open university in 2006 and all of the
course material was online, though the actual course was carried out
by face to face lessons and pair work. I think this is when I first
became aware of the existence of online education.
This
module is the first actual online course I've taken so you could say
I'm wearing my training shoes when it comes to learning online. For
many years I've of course been aware of the education possibilities
online. Through this module I've become more aware of the vast and
varied possibilities of education online. ”Education technology and
oline interaction tools are still new for a great part of teachers”
(Teräs & co. 2012), myself included. Of course the vast
development and distribution of technology and shared education has
made the rapid and worldwide development of education online
possible.
I
think you could say online education has exploded i.e. Today there
are thousands of course options to choose from in different schools,
organizations, in different languages, different coutries. Nowadays,
it's not the lack of supply in education rather it's the oversupply.
Or is it?
Can't
help but think that if computers, the Internet and online education
was never developed and distributed worldwide this M4 module would
have never taken place.
My
shoe collection would have been so much poorer.
fyi; pic only a metaphor; not my actual feet nor shoe collection ;)
Creating
a learning culture
In
his article How to Create a Positive Learning Culture Paul J.
H. Schoemaker states that no one has all the answers which according
to him is a good thing. I'm the first to admit to my students if I
don't know something. I always encourage them to find answers (online
or elsewhere). Schoemaker gives suggestions on how you should
approach creating a better learning environment and thus in my
opinion a positive learning culture. Even though Schoemaker is giving
suggestions for creating a genuine learning culture at work I
think these suggestions can well be applied to learning environments
else where i.e. classrooms, online learning environments etc.
Make
learning a daily habit
Don't
be defensive – confront failings honestly
Allow
mistakes and celebrate them at times
(Schoemaker,
2012)
According
to Schoemaker ”leaders [teachers as leaders in classrooms and
virtual learning environments] should be the focal point as well as
champions for learning” and see ”that mistakes become sources of
new learning”. Schoemaker also sees ”mistakes as valuable sources
of learning”. In my vocational teacher studies we are bringing a
method from the business world called Appreciative Inquiry into
teaching and creating positive learning environments and learning
cultures. The main idea of the AI-method is that you focus on what
could be instead of what could have been; in a learning environment
you don't focus on what the student hasn't done or doesn't yet know,
instead you focus on what the student already knows and can and build
on that knowledge; you focus on what the student can be and could be
instead of what (s)he can't.
This
method spiced with positive feedback, looking at each student as an
individual, offering students cultural experiences also outside the
classroom and creating ”opportunities for meaningful interaction”
(Kogin, 2011) by encouraging them in their studies towards
collaboration and teamwork is the kind of learning culture I as a
teacher want to create and promote.
I
also strongly believe that ”supporting the development of learner's
self-confidence is essential in a new type of learning environment”
(Teräs & co. 2012) In my opinion an important method in
promoting learner's self-confidence is AI-method positive feedback
included.
Ap-pre’ci-ate,
v., 1. valuing; the act of recognizing the best in people or the
world around us; affirming past and present strengths, successes, and
potentials; to perceive those things that give life (health,
vitality, excellence) to living systems 2. to increase in value, e.g.
the economy has appreciated in value. Synonyms: VALUING, PRIZING,
ESTEEMING, and HONORING.In-quire’ (kwir),
v., 1. the act of exploration and discovery. 2. To ask questions; to
be open to seeing new potentials and possibilities. Synonyms:
DISCOVERY, SEARCH, and SYSTEMATIC EXPLORATION, STUDY.
”Appreciative
Inquiry is about the coevolutionary search for the best in people,
their organizations, and the relevant world around them.”
(Cooperrider,
D & D. Whitney, 2005)
I
can easily transfer the above statement into learning cultures;
Creating a positive learning culture is about concentrading on the
best of students and the relevant worlds, cultures and learning
cultures around them. Make sense?
Developing
as a multicultural teacher
”Teacher
identity is a useful research frame because it treats teachers
as whole persons in and across social contexts who continually
reconstruct their views of themselves in relation to others,
workplace characteristics, professional purposes, and cultures of
teaching. [Teacher identity} is also a pedagogical tool that
can be used by teacher educators and professional development
specialists to make visible various holistic, situated framings of
teacher development in practise.”
(Brad
Olsen, 2008)
I
touched the identity task in my previous blog post:
”In
my teacher studies I am also reflecting my teacher identity; where
was I before entering the study program, where am I now, where am I
heading.. I am thinking about the same issues in this module but with
the multicultural online twist. As a teacher I am all about offering
equal learning opportunities for everyone regardless the background,
possible economical or social limitations, nationality etc. As a
multicultural online teacher I have just started to form and develop
my identity but still I can say that core issues also in my
multicultural online teacher identity is the possibility to offer
equal learning opportunities for everyone. In order for that to be
possible there is plenty for me to learn. Of course my multicultural
online teacher identity is part of my teacher identity, I get it –
now. Never before have I understood or really thought about how many
layered my teacher identity is or can be. Recognizing, defining,
developing, comparing learning cultures will definitely be a
challenge for me but also will develop and expand my teacher
identity.”
Like
the 20 participants in Walton and Vykovic's (2003) study I am an
Internet novice and education technology and online interaction tools
are still quite new for me. This is mind I stated earlier having
training shoes on. Well, no one has the training shoes nor wheels on
forever. I believe in lifelong learning. I also believe that learning
is about opportunity and attitude. I believe I can develop as a
multicultural teacher by further learning about online learning
environments, cultures and tools. I also think that - by
familiarizing myself with, observing and learning about different,
foreign, intercultural, multicultural school systems, learning
environments and learning cultures (f.ex. with the help of Table 4
chart) and if possible take part in teacher trainee exchange in
multicultural learning environments and cultures - I will develop as
a multicultural teacher.
References
Agar,
M. (2002) Understandinf the culture of conversation. New York:
Perennial.
Hall,
E.T. (1990) [orig. 1959] The Silent Language (4th
edition). New York: Anchor Books.
Cooperrider,
D & D. Whitney. 2005. Appreciative Inquiry - A positive
revolution in change. Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc. San Francisco.
Kogin,
N. 2011. Supporting Cultural Diversity in e-Learning. Uploaded
20.2.2011. Retrieved 19.7.2013
Olsen,
B. 2008. Teacher Education Quarterly, Summer 2008. Introducing
Teacher Identity and This Volume.
Schoemaker,
P. J. H. How to Create a Positive Learning culture. Last updated June
26, 2012. www.ink.com
Street,
B. (1993). Culture is a Verb: anthropological aspects of language and
cultural process. In Graddol, D., Thompson, L. & M. Byram, (Eds.)
Language and Culture. BAAL and Multicultural Matters, Clevedon, (pp.
23-43).
Teräs,
H., Leppisaari, I., Teräs, M. & Herrington, J. (2012).
Facilitating the development of multicultural learning communities
through authentic e-learning. In Kommers, P., Issa, T. & Isaias,
P. (Eds.) Proceedings
of IADIS International Conference on International Higher Education
(IHE 2012) (pp.
29-36)
Tylor,
Edward B., 1924 [orig. 1871] Primitive Culture. 2 vols. 7th
ed., Brentano's, New York.
Walton
& Vykovic. 2003. In Rutherford,
A. & Kerr, B. (2008). An Inclusive Approach to Online Learning
Environments: Models and Resources. Turkish
Online Journal of Distance Education 9(2),
article 2. Retrieved 14.2.2013 from
http://tojde.anadolu.edu.tr/tojde30/pdf/article_2.pdf
